Lauren and Anthony

How We Met

Lauren and I met as graduate students at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI. I was new to the school and had recently been appointed as the Choral Director for the Deliverance Mass Choir. Lauren had completed her Bachelor degree from Andrews, and was in the process of completing her final year in Graduate school. She was a key figure of the choirs leadership, serving as an Alto Section Leader. We worked closely together during choir and section leader rehearsals. I was attracted to her from day one!

Her beautiful brown skin, breath taking smile, and radiating personality made her my crush at the first hello! From our initial introduction onward I began flirting and trying to spend as much time with her as possible. Our private friendship quickly became the talk of the choir, because many could see from our interactions that there was definitely something there! It was a cold night in October that I made my true feelings known to her and the rest is history! Our love is one that was built on friendship, adventure, fun, and spirituality! She is my best friend, and I can’t wait for her to become my wife!

how they asked

We purchased our tickets to Paris in October 2016 and from that point on I knew that I was going to propose to her while we were in the City of Lights! Her sisters were going as well, so I solicited their help as I began to prepare to ask my best friend to spend her entire life with me! I didn’t want it to be a simple, run of the mill proposal. I wanted it to be as beautiful as our relationship was. So I decided that I would not propose the first day there or the second day. I figured that if she thought I would propose I might as well make her wait for it! LOL. Her sisters and I strategically decided that we would visit the Eiffel Tower on Saturday evening because they knew that this was the place I wanted to ask! During the planning stage I enlisted the help of my friend and Parisian Native “Anne L’Or” @annelorfrenchie, to sing for my proposal.

Lauren and I love a song by Christina Perri entitled “A Thousand Years” and I thought this would be the perfect song to be sung while I proposed. When the big day arrived, I had to sneak out of our airbnb at 6:00 am. Anne L’Or and I decided that we would meet up early to practice what I would do to ensure that things went smoothly. The initial sight of the Eiffel Tower was nothing short of amazing! I literally began to cry when I saw it, because I was humbled by the fact that I was able to propose to the love of life at such a beautiful location! When the evening finally rolled around we decided to take the train to the Eiffel. I strategically planned that we would get off the train at the back of the tower because my proposal would take place at the front of the tower! When we got to the Eiffel we began taking pictures of one another.

After a while I told Lauren that I needed to use the bathroom. What she didn’t know was that I was going to the location, and her sisters would make sure she got there. As I am standing there watching her walk up, my body is filled with nerves and everything around me fades away. All I can see is her! She was crying and smiling the entire time. She walked up to Anne L’Or singing the first verse and chorus of A Thousand Years! We stood there looking into each others eyes and hugging, while I held her hands. Once Anne finished singing, Lauren being a vivid Bachelor and Bachelorette fan, I gave her my final rose. Once she accepted my rose, I pulled out the ring, pronounced my love and affection, and asked her to be my wife! She said YES!